Ruling Party Says, "Do Not Misread Jung Chung-rae's 'A Term in Power Is Short' Remark... Government Should Be Included in Local Election Review"

[Financial News] Kang Jun-hyun, chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, moved to clarify remarks by party leader Jung Chung-rae on the 15th after a range of interpretations emerged, including claims that he had been targeting President Lee Jae-myung.
After the Supreme Council meeting that day, Kang told reporters, "Aren't people interpreting Jeong Cheong-rae's remarks in a subjective and distorted way? That should be avoided."
On the 10th, Jung said at the first public Supreme Council meeting after the local elections, "The people are eternal, but a term in power is short." The remark sparked controversy as some interpreted it as a message aimed at President Lee. The dispute has deepened further amid tensions between pro-Lee lawmakers, who have been calling for accountability from the leadership after the local elections, and pro-Jung members, who have been defending the leadership on a daily basis.
In response, Kang argued, "Could Jung have meant what is being discussed in the media? I cannot even imagine that. Looking at the overall context, I understood it to mean that we need to do better."
He added, "President Lee and the leadership all have the same mindset. Because there is a party convention coming up, I think some people may be interpreting Jung's remarks a little too narrowly."
Kang also said, regarding the local election review, "Evaluation must reflect mechanical factors, policy factors and political factors. That is the sense in which he made those remarks."
He continued, "We should also properly assess whether government officials or politicians sent messages during the election process with certain intentions, and what impact those messages had on the election."
Cho Seung-rae, the Secretary-General, also said at a press briefing held at The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea on the 14th that the Local Election Evaluation Committee should assess "how messages and actions by government officials during the election process affected public opinion, including that factor in its review."
As a result, pro-Lee lawmakers, who argue that elections are fought by the party, have accused the leadership of using oversight of government officials as a stepping stone for Jung's bid to seek another term, intensifying internal conflict within the party over the local election review.
gowell@fnnews.com Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter